Angelique - Dario Campeotto

I actually already own a copy of Dario Campeotto's 'Angelique', but that's a rather ordinary single, with just two tracks. This EP features four different tracks and, here's the best part, it's pressed on blue vinyl. It's one of those things I just can't resist.

On this EP, Dario shows off his family heritage. Although he was born in Copenhagen, his parents were Italian and three songs on this disc are actually sung in Italian. The title track, 'Angelique', still appears in the original Danish version. It would have been interesting to hear an Italian version of the song!

My collection: 7" single no. 6579
Found: Discogs.com, received 17 December 2021
Cost: €3
Tracks: 'Angelique', 'Libero' / 'Nella bella cita', 'Un Italiano innamorato'

Volare - Umberto

It's time for another version of 'Volare'! Umberto Marcato was born in Padua (Italy) in 1936. He started his career at the age of 18, when he became the singer of the Casamatta Orchestra, led by Luciano Viani. With the orchestra, he toured in Italy and later on, in the rest of the Europe. In 1957, during a successful tour in Scandinavia, the orchestra signed a contract with the Swedish Karusell, and recorded four songs: 'Maruzella', 'Lazzarella', 'Guaglione' and 'Chella Ilà'. These songs were successful in Sweden, but also in Finland. This EP featuring 'Volare' followed quickly.  

This particular copy of the EP looks a bit strange: there are 'bubbles' in the vinyl and when you listen to the track you can hear it actually affects the sound. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6578
Found: Discogs.com, received 17 December 2021
Cost: €3
Tracks: 'Volare', 'Pueblo' / 'Biundulella', 'Autumn concerto'

Piove - Bruno Martino and his Orchestra

Bruno Martino was born in Rome on 11 November 1925. His debut as a jazz piano player was already in 1940, when he was only fifteen, playing, in secret, in a student jazz little orchestra. In 1944 he joined RAI, as a piano player for Piero Piccioni's Orchestra. Then he gained great success abroad, particularly in Northern Europe, experimenting with a mix of jazz, Neapolitan songs and his own pieces. When he came back to Italy in 1958, he composed songs for Caterina Valente, Renato Rascel and Wilma De Angelis. A fortuitous event launched him also as an interpreter, when he replaced his orchestra's singer. 

This Norwegian single, pressed on red vinyl, features a cover version of Domenico Modugno's 'Piove (Ciao ciao bambina)', performed at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1959. This single does not mention any year but it is assumed to be released in the same year. 

My collection: 7" single no. 6577
Found: Discogs.com, received 17 December 2021
Cost: €4
Tracks: 'Piove' / 'Li per li'

Festival i Cannes - Brita Borg

Brita Borg participated in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1959, representing Sweden, with the song 'Augustin'. The same year she also released this EP, featuring her versions of four other Eurovision songs. The A-side consists of Swedish versions of ''n Beetje' and 'Oui oui oui oui', the B-side presents a version of 'Piove' and 'Uh, jeg ville ønske jeg var dig'. 

It's not unusual for Eurovision artists to record cover versions of other Eurovision songs, just think of Cliff Richard's 'Marianne' and Matt Monro's 'Walk away'. But this EP was released quite quickly after Brita Borg's own Eurovision adventure, and that makes it a rather special collection of songs.

My collection: 7" single no. 6575
Found: Discogs.com, received 17 December 2021
Cost: €4
Tracks: 'Om våren', 'Oui oui oui oui' / 'Piove', 'A ifall jag vore du ända'

Sol och vår - Inger Berggren

Inger Berggren was born in Stockholm (Sweden) on 23 February 1934. She began her vocal career with Thore Swanerud's orchestra, and later sang with Thore Ehrling, Simon Brehm, and Göte Wilhelmsson. Berggren represented Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest 1962 in Luxembourg with the song 'Sol och vår' which finished in seventh place in a field of 16 competitors.

Some of her singles were Swedish versions of American rock 'n' roll hits. Her most popular period was during the Sixties. In 1979 she released one more album called 'En helt vanlig kvinna', featuring Swedish versions of 'A natural woman' and Janis Ian's 'At Seventeen'. Inger Berggren died on 19 July 2019 at the age of 85.

My collection: 7" single no. 6574
Found: Discogs.com, received 17 December 2021
Cost: €5
Tracks: 'Sol och vår' / 'Och flicka spann...'

Augustin - Brita Borg

Whatever happened to the sleeve of this single, I don't know exactly, but its slightly dismal state has to explain the lower price of this rather rare and very old single. By contrast, the actual single is in a very good state, as you can hear.

'Augustin' was the Swedish entry for the Eurovision Song Contest back in 1959. It was actually performed by Siw Malmkvist at the Swedish national final (Melodifestivalen) but it was Brita Borg who took to the international stage. Unfortunately the song only got 4 points and finished in 9th place in a field of 11 competitors. 

The B-side of this single features a monologue by a Swedish comedian (at least, I think that it has to be a comedian of some sort since the audience is laughing) which drags on for six minutes. Perhaps it's funny when you're Swedish but I couldn't understand anything of this.

My collection: 7" single no. 6573
Found: Discogs.com, received 17 December 2021
Cost: €3,5
Tracks: 'Augustin', 'Dags igen att vara kära' (Brita Borg) / 'Ester' (Martin Ljung)

Romancing the stone - Eddy Grant

Although I've had the 12" single of Eddy Grant's 'Romancing the stone' for 27 years, I never actually bought the 7" single. High time to rectify that oversight. I ordered this copy earlier this month and received it rather swiftly, together with a few other singles which you've already read about. And of course, I selected the limited edition red vinyl version. If you've followed this blog you'll know that I've already got quite a few Eddy Grant singles on red vinyl - all from Germany.

This wasn't a very big hit but it does take me back to 1984, the year that gave me a lot of favourite pop songs that have stayed with me for decades.

My collection: 7" single no. 6572
Found: Discogs.com, received 13 December 2021
Cost: €2
Tracks: 'Romancing the stone' / 'My turn to love you'